Trying to take advantage of the softer, easier conditions early on Thursday, the defending U.S. Open champion approached Pinehurst's par-3 17th hole (his eighth of the day) two over and took dead aim at the pin. It almost worked gloriously, but instead, the ball tricked past the hole, over the green and into some strange patch of sand outside a nearby bunker.

The bad lie forced a poor second shot, which resulted in a bogey. That led to another bogey on 18, putting Rose at four over after his first nine holes.